The physiological effect of vitamin B12 deficiency in human blood

Date
1990-11
Authors
Abel, Stefan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aim of this workpiece was to establish the physiological parameters against which a vitamin Bu deficiency could be measured. A comparison between the hematological values of healthy patients and those suffering from pernicious anemia due to vitamin Bu deficiency was done. A specific case of pernicious anemia was used in the comparison of abnormal values to the values of normal healthy patients. The comparison consisted of blood analyses with the help of specified instruments, photomicrographs of bone marrow and blood smears and statistical data. A Coulter Counter Model ZF was used for the hematological analyses of blood, a radio-isotope assay for serum vitamin B u was done and photomicrographs were taken with a NIKON Microflex camera with photomicrographic attachments. The importance of vitamin Bu has been shown in this workpiece. With the use of techniques and certain instruments, the effects of a shortage of vitamin Bu has been shown. Analyses of the blood from normal ,healthy patients was compared to that of patients suffering from pernicious anemia. It was demonstrated that pernicious anemia is characterized by a low erythrocyte count, hematocrit (Het), hemoglobin (Hb) and vitamin Bu levels together with a higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). In severe cases of pernicious anemia these levels are extremely high or low as the case may be. Together with these values, the investigation of pernicious anemic blood and bone marrow smears revealed abnormally large erythrocyte precursors and fewer leucocytes than normal. Abnormally shaped cells, called macrocytes, were seen which was due to the disruption in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis caused by the vitamin Bu deficiency. This study produced a set of hematological reference values. The comparative study between healthy and pernicious anemic patients demonstrated a significant drop in serum vitamin B12 values during pernicious anemia. The hematological effect was illustrated by the Coulter Counter blood analysis results and the microscopic examination revealed the presence of megaloblastic erythrocytes, oval erythrocytes, pear-shaped poikilocytes and polymorphonuclear neutropbils with hypersegmented nuclei in blood smears I during vitamin B12 deficiency. This dianoses can be supported by the presence of megaloblasts and metamyelocytes in pernicious anemic bone marrow.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoof doel van hierdie werkstuk was om fisiologiese grense te bepaal waarteen 'n vitamien B12 tekort gemeet kan word. 'n Vergelyking tussen die hematologiese waardes van gesonde persone en die van pasiente met pernisieuse anemie wat ontstaan het as gevolg van 'n vitamien B12 tekort was uitgevoer. Die waardes verkry vanaf 'n spesifieke geval van pernisieuse anemie. was vergelyk met waardes vanaf normale gesonde persone. Hierdie vergelyking het bestaan uit bloed analises, fotomikrograwe van bloed en beenmurg smere en statistiese data. Die hematologiese bloed analises was met behulp van 'n Coulter Teller model ZF uitgevoer. 'n Radio-isotoop bepaling vir serum vitamien B12 was gedoen en fotomikrograwe was met 'n NIKON Microflex kamera geneem. Die belang van 'n vitamien B12 tekort was in hierdie werkstuk gedemonstreer. Die effek van hierdie tekort is deur die gebruik van sekere instrumente en tegnieke aangedui en die resultate hiervan is vergelyk tussen gesonde persone en pasiente met 'n vitamien B12 tekort. Hierdie studie het bevestig dat pernisieuse anemie gekenmerk word deur verlaagde eritrosiet, hematokrit (Het), hemoglobien (Hb) en vitamien B12 vlakke tesame met verhoogde gemene korpuskulere hemoglobien (GKH) en gemene korpuskulere volume (GKV) vlakke. Gedurende ernstige gevalle van pernisieuse anemie kan hierdie waardes uitermatig hoog of laag wees. Benewens hierdie waardes het die ondersoek van bloed en beenmurg gedurende vitamien B12 tekort, abnormale groot eritrosiet voorgangers en 'n verminderde hoeveelheid leukosiete getoon. Abnormale sel vorms was ook sigbaar a.g.v. die onderbreking in DNA sintese wat deur 'n vitamien B12 tekort veroorsaak word. Pernisieuse anemie word verkry wanneer daar 'n vitamien B12 en/of folaat tekort in die dieet is of wanneer hierdie vitamiene nie geabsorbeer kan word nie. Die teenwoordigheid van makrosiete, ovaal eritrosiete, peervormige poikilosiete en polimorfonuklere neutrofiele met hipergesegmenteerde keme in bloedsmere dui op 'n megaloblastiese anemie. Hierdie diagnose kan ondersteun word deur die aanwesigheid van megaloblaste en reuse metamielosiete in die beenmurg. Die bepaling van vitamien B12 en folaat vlakke in die bloed kan as addisionele bewysstukke vir 'n volledige diagnose dien. Gedurende hierdie studie is daar 'n stel hematologiese verwysingswaardes vasgestel. Die vergelykende studie tussen gesonde persone en pasiente met pernisieuse anemie het getoon dat daar 'n beduidende verlaging in serum vitamien B12 waardes gedurende pernisieuse anemie is. Die hematologiese effek was ook duidelik waameembaar in die Coulter teller se bloed analiese en mikroskopiese ondersoeke het die · teenwoordigheid van makrosiete, ovaal eritrosiete, peervormige poikilosiete en polimorfenuklere neutrofiele met hipersegmenteerde keme in bloedsmere aangedui. Hierdie diagnose kan ondersteun word deur die aanwesigheid van megaloblaste en reuse metamielosiete in die beenmurg.
Description
Thesis (MSc) -- Stellenbosch University, 1990.
Keywords
Blood -- Analysis, Vitamin B12 deficiency, Dissertations -- Physiology (Human and animal), Theses -- Physiology (Human and animal)
Citation